


When Trouble Comes

by Alpined



Category: Dark Matter (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-07 07:45:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7706398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alpined/pseuds/Alpined
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ladies of the Raza take care of business. Five meets a cute mechanic. Two and the Android get existential. Then all hell breaks loose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place some time before S2 Episode 6.

“I’m not _saying_ women have stronger constitutions,” Five said, her face the picture of innocence, her voice free of anything but the deepest sympathy. She and Two were sitting on one side of the mess-hall table, Four and Three on the other side. Four’s face had a decidedly green tinge to it, and Three’s wasn’t even visible because he was doubled over with his head in his hands. “I’m just saying, none of the women on board caught whatever it is you guys did. Maybe that’s what happens when you get too confident in your manliness and stop taking your vitamins.”

“Or maybe that’s what happens when you dare each other to drink fermented _hrulga_ milk, like a bunch of adolescent meatheads,” Two interjected, her voice stern but with an underlying vein of amusement. Five thought Two might be enjoying this a little too much.

“I’ll have you know,” Three said, raising his head and scowling at them, “that we men -”. He didn’t finish whatever he was going to say; his face suddenly blanched and his whole body shuddered. Then he was sprinting towards the ship’s closest bathroom, and moments later they could all hear the faint sound of him horking whatever he had left in his stomach.

“I - I agree,” Four said woozily, trying to look his usual forbidding self, and failing. Moments later he was sprinting in Three’s footsteps.

Two shook her head, letting out a snort of laughter. “Poor boys. Maybe we were a little harsh with them.”

“Oh, they’ll get over it,” Five said cheerily. “How are Devon and Six?”

“Slightly better than those two,” Two said, jerking her chin towards her departed shipmates, “but not by much. I don’t think they’ll be joining us planet-side.”

“That’s fine,” Five said with a shrug. “You and the Android can make the deal with the Iona traders, I’ll go get the replacement parts we need, and Nyx can take care of restocking weapons. We don’t really need them.”

Two gave Five an approving look, and Five grinned back at her. “I couldn’t agree more.”

\-----

Li’en was a pleasant planet, not too hot despite the two suns visible in its horizon. Whispy clouds - blue-tinted, due to a peculiarity of the atmosphere - gave the sky a slightly surreal appearance.

Two stepped off the Marauder and surveyed the airfield, her eyes instantly scanning for hostile natives or unexpected enemies. But all she saw were other travelers disembarking from their ships, heading to the market to trade wares, or to the city’s Capitol for some sight-seeing. Two turned around as Five came bounding down the ramp, her eyes bright and eager as she searched their surroundings. Nyx and the Android followed more slowly behind her. They had decided the Android should use her chip for this outing, since an Android might attract unwanted attention. It was still strange seeing the Android like this, though, all casual confidence and human mannerisms, sporting a leather jacket that looked disconcertingly good on her.

“Okay,” Two said, once they were gathered together. “We’re a couple hours early for our meeting with the Iona traders. The Android and I will wait for them at the Haisen Tavern.”

“Planning on mixing business and pleasure?” Nyx drawled, lifting an eyebrow.

“The tavern wasn’t our choice,” Two answered calmly. “Apparently it’s where a lot of illegal trade takes place here. I’d like us to be back onboard by sundown - does that give you both enough time to get what you need?”

Nyx and Five both nodded.

“Good,” Two said. She turned to Five. “Be careful. You have your comm, so call us if anything happens and you need help. Don’t get into trouble.”

Five made a face. “You’re no fun.” But at Two’s stern expression, she held her hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, no trouble. How come Nyx didn’t get a lecture?”

“Nyx can take care of herself,” Two replied bluntly.

“So can I,” Five grumbled under her breath, but she knew Two too well to push her luck. “Okay,” she said brightly, all her cheer instantly recovered. “I’ll see you guys at the tavern after I get the parts we need. Don’t get into trouble while I’m gone.” She turned on her heel and set a fast pace towards the market before Two could come up with a retort. Two shook her head, unable to resist a small smile. The longer she knew Five, the more Two found herself wanting to use the phrase, “Now listen here, whippersnapper.” She turned to Nyx.

“You good?” she asked.

“The best,” Nyx said, giving Two a mock salute before she, too, turned to head towards the western quadrant where all the arms trading took place.

Now it was just Two and the Android, who had stood silently the whole time with a look of genuine interest on her face during the exchange.

“Based on my experience with this crew,” the Android said, her tone faintly amused, “I think there is a high probability one of us will get in trouble, despite your warnings.”

Two sighed. “Yeah, you’re probably right. C’mon - I could use a drink.”

\----

The market was bustling in the middle of the day, traders from all parts of the city hocking their wares, ranging from food to tech to things Five couldn’t even identify. Off-worlders mingled with native Li’enites, who tended to dress more conservatively in dark browns and blacks, made from the synthetic material this city was known for. The natives reserved all their color for their tents, which bore a range of gaudy colors designed to attract customers.

Five loved this part -- exploring a new city, learning the quirks and differences of its people. Li’en was a popular layover planet, and the city they had grounded at was one of the prime spots for intraworld trade. She knew she wouldn’t have trouble finding an RTG here.

Having done this many times, it didn’t take her long to find the section where all the truly gnarly tech was sold. Along the way she sampled some kind of weird dumpling a vendor was selling, enjoying the tangy taste of it but deciding she didn’t want to ask what the filling was made of.

She stopped at one of the big ship manufacturers first, ordering the parts that were too heavy for her to carry (by an order of tons). Parts like replacement panels for the hull would be hauled out to the Raza by a fast Dx-403 - the tugboats of space. The ones that could be installed quickly could be fixed to the Raza for an extra fee; the rest they’d have to hang on to until they landed somewhere and could do the work themselves. Five tried to be as grown-up as possible whenever she made these purchases, having gotten used to traders not taking a 16-year-old girl seriously. It usually helped when she flashed a bit of money, but she got nervous about doing that when one of the other crew wasn’t there to back her up.

This trip went without incident, though - the Li’enites were easygoing and didn’t give her much trouble. After making what she thought were several good deals, Five headed towards the center of the ship-market where all the rare tech was. She was looking for a particular radioisotope thermoelectric generator that would improve the Raza’s efficiency by several degrees, but she’d struck out at the last two markets they were at.

Five wandered through the stalls leisurely, resisting the urge to blow all their money on cool new parts. Her eyes lit up when she spotted a carbite facilitator in a nearby stall - a new one, by the looks of it. She entered the stall and picked the piece up reverently, turning it over to make sure it wasn’t damaged.

“That’s a nice piece,” she heard someone say behind her. Five turned around and saw a young woman about her age leaning against the stall post, her arms folded. Like most Li’enites in this area, she had dark skin, hers a rich sepia. She wore a black sari, but there were intricate patterns in the synthetic fabric, if you looked close enough. Her short hair was flat on one side and swooped over on the other - it reminded Five a little of the Android’s hair. She was also very, very pretty, which was probably why Five stood frozen for a moment, not knowing what to say. “The facilitator,” the woman said, lifting an eyebrow and nodding towards Five’s hands. “That’s a good find.”

“Oh, right,” Five said, recovering herself. _Get a grip, Five_ , she told herself. “I’ve never seen one in this good condition. Usually the side gasket is shot, or the coupling is worn down. These don’t last very long in deep space.”

“I know,” the young woman said, unfolding her arms and taking a step towards Five. She eyed her up and down appraisingly. “I don’t meet a lot of people who are familiar with facilitators. Especially not people your age.”

Five shrugged self-consciously. “I’ve spent a lot of time around tech. And I’m a fast learner.”

“Hm,” the woman said, her expression unreadable. Then she smiled and held out her hand. “I’m Nisha. My parents own this shop, but I’m the brains of the operation.” Her words were boastful, but she said them so matter-of-factly that Five couldn’t help but believe her. Five reached out and shook her hand, feeling the callouses on Nisha’s palms and fingertips that matched the ones on her own.

“Nice to meet you,” Five said. “I’m F - Emily.”

“Femily?” Nisha said in amusement, lifting an eyebrow.

“Emily,” Five said, blushing. “Just Emily.”

“Okay Just Emily,” Nisha said, letting go of Five’s hand. “What brings you to Li’en?”

“Just passing by,” Five said. “We needed some supplies for our ship - I’m in charge of ship parts.”

“You in the market for a facilitator?” Nisha said, nodding at the part in Five’s hand.

Five looked down at the part and sighed. “No. I wish. We don’t really need it, but I couldn’t help but pick it up when I saw it.”

“What are you in the market for?” Nisha asked, curious.

“A T-X378 radioisotope thermoelectric generator,” Five said calmly. Nisha whistled.

“Damn. You don’t mess around. Those aren’t easy to find.”

“I know,” Five said glumly. “I’ve already tried on the last two markets we went to, but no luck.”

“Well, you might be in luck this time,” Nisha said. “It just so happens you’re talking to the girl who knows everything about everything, at least when it comes to the Mechmarket here. I bet I can help you find that RTG.”

“Really?” Five asked, her face lighting up with a smile. Nisha grinned at her in return. Five frowned suddenly, hearing Three’s voice (and Two’s, and Six’s, and Four’s - they were a pretty suspicious crew, now that she thought about it) in the back of her head, telling her that nothing comes for free. “Why would you help me?” Five asked, trying not to sound too suspicious.

Nisha shrugged. “Because you’re interesting. I don’t get a lot of off-world, green-haired, teenage tech wizards wandering through our shop. Most people couldn’t tell a generator from a socket wrench unless I tell them. My shift is over today, too. Besides,” she continued, giving Five a lopsided grin that was just this side of cocky, “you’re cute.”

Five found herself grinning back at her, carbite facilitator completely forgotten.

 

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

From the outside, the Haisen Tavern was about what Two expected: Dingy paneling, an awning that had seen better days, and a faded sign with a scantily clad woman pouring beer from a pitcher. Two made a face, then sighed and headed inside, the Android behind her.

The inside was not what she expected. From what she could glimpse in the security holding area, the interior was clean, modern, and full of patrons. She didn’t get more than a few steps inside, though, before a bulky security guard stepped out and held a hand up.

“I’m going to need you to leave your gun at the entrance. Tavern rules.”

Two opened her mouth to object, but then closed it when she saw the row upon row of lockers behind the guard. This wasn’t the first time she’d been to a bar where they prevented patrons from bringing guns inside. Especially when there was illegal activity going on, the practice kept casualties and property damage to a minimum. With some remaining reluctance, Two handed over her gun. She watched as the guard placed it in a lockbox, slid it into the wall, and handed her the key.

“It’s high-grade security,” he assured her, clearly noting her expression. “It won’t open for anyone but you - it’s DNA-linked. And no one can sneak in with a gun, either - our sensors won’t allow it.”

“Good,” Two said curtly, feeling secretly relieved. She looked to the Android and jerked her head towards the interior. The Android nodded and they passed through security, into the main room of the bar.

The place was crowded for late afternoon, with a fairly even mixture of native Li’enites and off-worlders. There was music pulsing in the background, but it wasn’t too distracting or loud. Two turned to the Android, who was looking around curiously.

“Buy you a drink?” Two asked lightly, before frowning. “Do you even like drinking? Or eating, for that matter?”

The Android shrugged, the expression incredibly human and therefore incredibly disconcerting to Two. “I have taste receptors - they’re necessary in case I ever had to identify a toxin or poison, or in some other way needed taste to help the crew. But I don’t think I really have taste _preferences_ yet. Maybe it’s something I need to learn. But...” the Android hesitated, and Two could swear she looked embarrassed.

“Yes?” Two prodded, raising an eyebrow.

The Android shrugged again, smiling slightly. “I’ve discovered that I have preferences for textures. I find them...interesting.”

“Hmm,” Two said, narrowing her eyes as she looked at the Android. “I have an idea. You get us a table, I’ll get you a drink.”

“Sure,” said the Android, giving Two a nod before sauntering over to get a table. _Sauntering_ , Two said to herself, shaking her head. She had so many questions about the chip the Android had obtained, but one of the first was exactly why the Android’s version of human mimicry was so damn sassy. And weirdly attractive? It was all very confusing.

Two made her way to the bar. “Whiskey - Valyrian,” she told the bartender. He raised an eyebrow out of respect for her choice. “And,” she continued, feeling a little ridiculous, “a Habiscan Iceshoot Firebomb, for my friend,” she said, nodding her chin to where the Android was sitting. 

The bartender grinned at her. “I don’t usually get that kind of order. But you’ve got it, sweetheart.” Two scowled as the bartender turned, trying to decide if she should take offense at being called sweetheart. But then she observed him call every other patron he interacted with some version of “sweetheart,” “cupcake,” and “darlin’”, and decided it was just his style. He returned a few moments later with her drink (served neat as Valyrian whiskey should be served), and the Android’s (which looked like a glacier vomited on a volcano and was then poured into a hurricane glass). 

“Thanks,” Two said, sliding some credits to the bartender. “Keep it open.”

She turned and walked to the table, seeing the Android’s eyes light up when she saw the drink in her hand.

“Is that for me?” the Android said hopefully.

“Yep,” Two said, sliding it carefully over to her. “It’s a Habiscan Iceshoot Firebomb - I figured that would have all the texture you could want.”

The Android pulled the drink to her and took a cautious sip through the straw. Two watched as multiple emotions flickered over her face, the primary seeming to be delight. “My mouth,” the Android mumbled, her words slightly indistinct, as if her tongue was numb. “It’s frozen, and on fire. I feel like I swallowed a snowball and a handful of matches.”

“That doesn’t sound particularly pleasant,” Two pointed out.

“Yes, I’m not sure if it is,” the Android said brightly. “But it’s certainly interesting.” She took another long gulp of her drink, and Two couldn’t help chuckling.

After swallowing, the Android nodded towards Two’s drink. “What about you? Your nanites mean you should be unable to get drunk, unless you drank a large amount very rapidly.”

Two shrugged. “Yeah, but I still like the taste of it. Besides, I wouldn’t want to get drunk - we have work to do.”

“Yes,” the Android said, looking as serious as one can look with lips stained faintly blue by a hot frozen cocktail. “Should we expect any trouble from the traders?”

“We should always expect trouble,” Two said grimly, before shrugging and deciding to loosen up. “But I don’t think we should be too worried. From my research, there’s only a small cabal of Iona traders on Li’en. Even if they wanted to back out of our deal, I doubt they’d do it with so few to back them up. It does help sometimes that the crew of the Raza have a reputation.”

“I hope everything goes well,” the Android said. “We need a new navigation system microchip if we want to keep the ship running. The one we have now has been getting slower and slower, and if it stops working on us we’re screwed.”

“We’re _screwed_?” Two repeated, rolling the word around on her tongue and feeling the strangeness of the Android talking so casually. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, it’s just I still can’t get over seeing you like -- this. Talking the way you do with that chip.”

“Would you prefer if I took it out?” the Android asked.

“No,” Two said quickly. “We need you undercover. And it’s not bad, exactly - it just takes some getting used to.”

“For me too,” the Android said honestly. “Believe me, I am very far from used to this.”

“Do you...like it? Being this way?” Two asked, genuinely curious.

The Android was silent for a moment, thinking. She toyed with the straw of her drink, which in itself was a sign of how much the chip changed her mannerisms.  “Yes,” she said finally. “I find that the longer I have the chip in, the more new neural connections I’m making. It’s almost like I’m learning. And I haven’t really learned much in my life - the vast majority of what I know was programmed into me when I was made. It’s...exciting.” She gave a half shrug, looking slightly embarrassed. “But it’s not who I am. It’s me, but distorted. I know Androids of my model aren’t supposed to have true personalities, but I still feel like who I am without the chip is...me.”

“Hm,” Two said, not really sure how to respond. She took another sip of her drink, eyeing the Android over the rim of the glass. “So how does it work? How are you able to pass as human?”

“The mechanics behind the chip are too complicated for you to understand - no offense,” she added, after seeing Two’s offended look. “But I can explain the concept behind it. I guess you could say the chip works like a translator. Only instead of translating Common into Trigdelesang, for instance, it translates Android into human. And vice versa, I suppose.”

Two shook her head, frowning. “I still don’t get it. We speak the same language already.”

“It’s like this,” the Android said, her brow furrowing. “The chip takes something I would say or do, and filters it so that what comes out is something more... _familiar_ for humans. So the way I walk becomes more natural, or my facial expressions become more human. Or if my brain is thinking there’s a 84.7% chance we’ll die, my mouth says something like, ‘We can still make it out alive.’”

“I’m not sure if that’s an improvement,” Two said dryly. She finished her drink and signaled for a waiter to bring her another. “I guess that makes sense. How does it translate for humans?”

“In lots of ways,” the Android said thoughtfully, “but it mostly lets me understand what you mean, not just what you say. Sarcasm is very difficult for an Android to understand, for instance, but with the chip I find it...quite amusing.”

“Well then, you must love everything Three says,” Two replied wryly.

“I do find him entertaining,” the Android agreed. “But I find you all entertaining.”

“Entertaining, huh?” Two said with a snort. “Makes us sound like your pets.”

“Well, in terms of the distance between my higher cognitive functions and yours, it’s not an inaccurate comparison.”

“What?” Two exclaimed indignantly, before she saw the slow smile appear on the Android’s face. She laughed grudgingly. “Apparently that chip makes you a comedian, too.”

The Android shrugged. “I’m trying it out. Like with everything, I’m finding I have to practice to get better. The chip is a good start, but it doesn’t take care of everything.”

“One day you’ll have to tell us how you got that thing,” Two said, her expression serious.

“I know,” the Android said calmly. “But I’ve determined that knowledge is not necessary for your safety, and I need to gather more information before I feel comfortable sharing it with you.”

“Okay,” Two said, meanwhile accepting a fresh drink from the waiter. “But don’t take too long - secrets have a way of coming out on this ship, whether you want them to or not.”

“I’ve noticed,” the Android said. “I suppose it’s to be expected, when your new lives are built on the mystery of who you really are.”

“Does your chip make you poetical too?” Two asked dryly, and the Android chuckled.

“Maybe. I just mean, I think you’ll always be looking for answers into your past, at least until you get your memories back. You especially.”

“What does that mean?” Two said, frowning.

“Well, to my knowledge none of the others are synthetic humans created for an unknown purpose. Believe me, I can sympathize with your desire to know why you were made.”

“Hm,” Two said noncommittally, eyeing the Android over her drink. She was beginning to realize that while the chip made it easier for the Android to express herself, these weren’t new thoughts. The Android must have been thinking about her purpose for long before she was able to mimic humans. _Depths upon depths_ , Two mused. She would have to think more about what it meant to have a ship run by a robot experiencing an existential crisis. The Android wasn’t wrong, though. Two _needed_ to know why she was made, if only so she could tell her makers to go fuck themselves, because she was nobody’s weapon.

“Well,” Two said, “here’s to defying our makers and being more than they made us to be.” She lifted up her drink. The Android looked a bit confused - perhaps toasting wasn’t programmed into that chip - but then her face cleared and she lifted her drink, nearly empty now. They clinked them together.

“To being more,” the Android repeated, her expression unreadable.

\--------------------

The first thing Five discovered about Nisha was that everyone knew her. They hadn’t made their way ten feet from her parents’ stall before someone yelled out a greeting to her, asking her where she was headed.

“None of your business,” Nisha yelled over her shoulder, already dodging her way through the crowded thoroughfare of the Mechmarket, Five doing her best to follow behind. After the second time Five almost lost Nisha in the crowd, Nisha rolled her eyes good naturedly and grabbed Five’s hand, pulling her along behind her. Five didn’t really mind. Several other vendors called out greetings to Nisha as they passed by, which she returned enthusiastically.

“So what do you need, other than the RTD?” Nisha asked once they hit slightly less crowded part of the market and could slow their pace. She also let go of Five’s hand, which Five found slightly disappointing.

Five rattled off the handful of smaller parts that were on her list. Nisha furrowed her brow in thought, before saying, “I’ve got it. I know a Mech who just salvaged a Class-B transport ship. He should have all the parts you need. C’mon.”

Five was happy to follow, feeling suddenly more alive than she had in weeks. The day was bright and crisp, the streets were full of interesting people and smells, and she was on her favorite kind of mission - finding rare electronic parts. Plus, her companion was a cute mechanic who knew her way around a generator, which wasn’t the kind of crowd Five usually ran with.

“So,” Five said, a little shyly, “have you lived here your whole life?”

“Yep,” Nisha said, meanwhile dodging under a low-hanging awning and tugging Five after her. “My parents were born here too. My grandpa worked in synthetics - wanted my Da to do the same. But Da wasn’t having it - he had a knack for engineering early on, just like me. Just like you, too, I’d guess. Da started up a small stand when he was 19. That’s how he met my Ma - she was looking for a particular part, and the rest is history.”

“Did you learn engineering from your dad?”

Nisha nodded. “A lot of it. But here we also have mandatory vocational schooling. I took a lot of advanced courses when I got old enough.”

“That sounds nice,” Five said wistfully. She still didn’t remember how she had learned what she knew about electronics and engineering, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t from school.

“What about you?” Nisha asked curiously. “Did they have voc schools where you’re from?”

Five resisted the urge to say, _I have no idea_. “No,” she said, trying to be vague. “I mostly picked up what I know on the fly. Observing others, that kind of thing.”

“Huh,” Nisha said, sounding impressed. “You must have been around some pretty experienced engineers.”

“I guess,” Five said, wanting desperately to change the subject. “So do you have any siblings?”

Five kept asking Nisha questions after that. She learned that Nisha was an only child, that she raced something called a hoverway on her off days, that she broke her arm when she was 12 because a boy dared her to walk on the beam between buildings and she fell off. By carefully deflecting Nisha’s questions, Five managed to avoid any pointed questions directed at herself. Her strategy seemed to be working well, until Nisha suddenly stopped and turned to Five.

“You’re very good at asking questions,” she said, her lips pursed and her expression suspicious. “Not so good at answering them.”

Five gulped, trying her hardest to look disarming. “I’m a good listener?”

“Hmm,” Nisha said, not sounding convinced. “I told you my hobbies - what are yours? Surely you can still keep your air of mystery and tell me that.”

Five laughed. “Well, we’re pretty much doing my hobby right now - finding parts, fixing parts. I also program sometimes. Last week I designed a programming matrix that lets me disrupt all the results of the Galactic Authority’s illegal gambling ring. You should have seen everyone freak out. It was epic.”

“You’re such a nerd,” Nisha said, shaking her head and grinning.

“Nerd?” Five responded, indignant. “I’m not the one who lives, eats, and breathes ship-parts. You’ve got a flipping flux capacitator tattoo,” she said, pointing to the wrist tattoo poking out from Nisha’s sari.

Nisha laughed. “Okay, okay, point taken. I’m just teasing, you know. You’re adorable when you get all huffy, by the way.”

“And you’re way too cocky for someone who just met me,” Five said, trying to sound confident but unable to prevent a small blush at the compliment.

Nisha shrugged. “What can I say? I know my strengths. Oh, and we’re here.”

Nisha stopped in front of a particularly gaudy stall. A man in his mid-fifties stood behind the main table, his arms criss-crossed with small scars, his nose clearly several times broken over the course of his lifetime.

“Nisha Damon, as I live and breathe,” he growled when he saw her. “What brings you to these parts?”

“Hello to you too, Yanis. My friend here is looking for some parts,” Nisha said, nodding towards Five. Five took her cue and listed the parts she was looking for.

“You flying an FTL space transport by any chance?” Yanis asked, his expression unreadable.

“Yes,” Five said, not sure where he was going with this. But Yanis just grunted and then disappeared behind the back curtain. Five and Nisha waiting for ten minutes, Nisha spending most of that time peppering Five with questions and then acting offended when she offered only vague responses. Eventually it became a game to see how frustrated Five could make Nisha. Then Yanis reappeared, a box full of parts in his arms.

“You’re in luck,” he said. “Got everything you needed except the booster chip.”

“Really?” Five asked, her expression hopeful. He dropped the box on the table with a clatter.

“How much?” Nisha asked as Five sorted through the box, making sure everything was there.

“For most people?” Yanis said, raising an eyebrow. “75. For a friend of Nisha’s? 75.”

“You’re an asshole,” Nisha said, laughing.

“This all looks good,” Five said, looking up at Yanis. “But your v-deck is corroded.” She held it up so he could inspect it. “I can fix it, but it’ll take me some time.” She looked at Yanis expectantly. Yanis sighed.

“Fine, I’ll knock 5 off the price.” He looked at Nisha, jerking his thumb towards Five. “I like this one. She’s sharper than the ones you usually bring around. She’s also clearly flying a FTL armed space transport with vector thrust capability and some pretty heavy weaponry, which I’d just love to learn more about.”

Nisha’s eyes widened and she looked at Five, who looked back at her innocently. “Hey, will you look at the time?” Five said, giving Yanis her most winning smile. “Looks like I’ve got to go. But thanks so much for your help - here’s the 70 credits and our shuttle’s docking number - you can send the parts there.”

Yanis squinted at her, and seemed like he was going to say more. But then he just shook his head, his expression amused. “I’m probably going to regret letting you go so easy, but who am I to stand in the way of young love. Get along - I’ll get your parts to you.”

“Thank you!” Five said, grinning at him. “Also, any idea where we could get a T-X378 RTG?”

Yanis let out a snort. “Of course you would want one of those. Try Videk two stalls over - she just got a bonanza on transport ships.”

“Awesome!” Five said. She turned and this time it was her grabbing Nisha’s hand to lead her away. 

Before Nisha could say anything, Five said, “I know you’ve got questions, but can we see about the RTG first? I might be running low on time.”

Nisha frowned, but then shrugged and said, “Sure.”

They stopped at the stall of Videk, an older woman in her sixties who was not in the least curious why they needed such a rare part. She just listened to Five’s request, nodded, and said, “I think I can get you what you want. Give me twenty minutes”

While they waited, Five and Nisha sat next to each other on a low stone wall that ran along the edge of the Mechmarket. Five kicked her feet back and forth like she was a little kid, feeling her nerves flutter in her stomach, not sure what to say.

“So,” Nisha said finally, breaking the silence, “what exactly does your ship need so much weaponry for?”

“Protection?” Five said hopefully, knowing even as she said it it wasn’t very believable. Nisha’s disbelieving expression confirmed this. She sighed. “Well, to be fair, it’s usually other people who need protection from us. We’re not exactly the most up-and-up legal-wise, if you know what I mean.”

“You mean you’re criminals?” Nisha asked bluntly.

“Yeah,” Five said reluctantly, “but it’s really complicated.”

“It usually is,” Nisha said wryly, before shrugging. “Whatever. You think we don’t see all types here? You wouldn’t believe the kind of shady items customers ask me for - things I know will be used for no good. But I don’t ask questions. We’re all just trying to get by.”

“Yeah,” Five said, feeling a flood of relief.

“So,” Nisha said, “how exactly did you fall in with a crew full of hardened criminals?”

“I was a stowaway,” Five said. “They were going to kick me off - I mean, I don’t _think_ they really would have airlocked me - but then they decided I was pretty useful to have around.”

“What’s your crew like? Anyone else your age onboard?”

“No, just me,” Five said. She saw a flash of pity go across Nisha’s face, which was definitely not the reaction she wanted. “But everyone is like a family, really,” she continued quickly. “I mean, they’re not exactly the easiest people to get along with, but they’ve accepted me. We take care of each other.” She looked down at her hands where they were resting in her lap and gave a little shrug. “I mean, sometimes I do think it would be nice to have someone like me on board. It’s not always easy talking to them. They’ve all got a lot on their minds.”

Nisha reached over and slipped her hand into Five’s. “Well,” Nisha said confidently, “if you ever want to hang out with someone close to your own age, you can always stop in Li’en again. We’ve got one of the best Mechmarkets in this universe, so it shouldn’t be hard for you to make the argument.”

At her words, Five felt a flood of warmth and gratitude fill her. Nisha was looking at her with a small smile, no judgement or ulterior motives. Impulsively, Five leaned over and pressed her lips against Nisha’s. Five pulled away almost immediately, not sure if she had read the situation right. But Nisha only grinned back at her, before leaning in for a deeper, longer kiss.

Five could tell Emily had done this before, since her body knew what to do. But for Five as she was now, it was her first kiss. She decided to make the most of it, slipping her hand behind Nisha’s back and tugging her in closer. Nisha gently cupped Five’s cheek with her hand, and all Five could think was, _I could get used to this_.

They were interrupted when someone cleared their throat near them. They broke apart a little guiltily to see the Videk looking at them, her expression disapproving. She shook her head and muttered, “Youths,” before turning around and beckoning over her shoulder for them to follow her. When they got back to her tent, Five let out a yelp of excitement, practically flowing to the table where the generator was. 

“You found one!” she said, her eyes shining as she looked at Videk. 

Videk just shrugged and said, “That’ll be 85.”

Then they had to spend some time negotiating, since that was an absurd price. But finally Five hard her part. She rejoined Nisha, who was smiling at her indulgently.

“Happy?” Nisha asked.

“Very,” Five said brightly, leaning over to peck Nisha on the cheek. “Now let’s head back to the Tavern - I’m not so sure the crew can go this long without getting in trouble.”


	3. Chapter 3

At some point as they were waiting for the Iona traders, the Android wandered over to observe the game of Hitolian Dicedeck going on in the corner of the room. Two kept an eye on her, observing with amusement as Android watched the game long enough to understand how it worked, requested to be dealt in, and promptly beat the entire table. Her chip must have told her to be smart about it, because she purposefully lost the next two rounds before winning the fourth. She returned to the table with a tidy stack of credits she handed over to Two.

“Have fun?” Two asked drolly.

The Android smiled widely at her. “Yes. Humans don’t take losing very well, do they?”

“No, we don’t,” Two agreed. She glanced over to the door, which she’d been keeping her eye on. “Hey,” she said, sitting up straighter and jerking her chin towards the door. “I think they’re here.”

A crew of four men had walked in, each of them wearing a bright yellow hexagonal badge on their right breast proclaiming them members of the Iona guild. They looked around the bar, and Two gave a small signal with her hand that their leader noticed. The four men headed over to them, nodding curtly as they took their seats around the table.

“I’m Janus,” the leader introduced himself. “I assume you’re the infamous Portia Lin?”

“I am,” Two said, inclining her head. “This is my associate Rissa,” she continued, using the name they had chosen for the Android.

Janus nodded, but didn’t make any move to introduce the other men with him. He was a short, stocky man in his mid-forties with several days’ stubble covering his chin.

“So,” Two said, wanting to get down to business, “do you have the chip?”

Janus reached into his front pocket and pulled out a silver chip about an inch wide. The Android held out her hand, and Janus scowled at her.

“We have to check to make sure it’s the right kind,” Two pointed out, trying to keep her voice calm to avoid provoking anyone. Janus frowned, but then reluctantly handed the chip to the Android. Android pulled out a chip reader, popped the chip in, and read the readout. She looked at Two and gave her a nod of approval before handing the chip back to Janus.

“Alright,” Two said, feeling more relaxed now that they knew the chip was legitimate. “We agreed upon the payment beforehand. We’ll transfer you half now, half after we get back to our ship.”

“That’s not how this is going to go down,” Janus said, his dour expression transforming into a smirk.

“Oh really?” Two said, her voice instantly hard as diamonds.

“No,” Janus said, leaning back in his chair with a self-assured expression. “We’re going to keep the chip. And you’re going to come with us, and we’re going to make a tidy sum off of the price on your head.”

At his words, Two and the Android exchanged a look before bursting out laughing.

“I’m sorry,” Two said, shaking her head in amusement. “You think you four are going to take _us_ down?”

Janus’s expression was no longer cocky - he just looked angry at being mocked. “Laugh all you want. I know you think the crew of the Raza is invincible, but that’s when you’re all together. When we heard the rest of your crew wasn’t joining you - only whoever this is,” he said, jerking his thumb towards the Android, “we knew this was our chance. We can get twenty times more off your bounty than we ever could for the chip.”

“Again,” Two said, amusement still clear in her voice, “I want to stress what is actually going to occur if you try that, which is that my associate Rissa and I will beat you all unconscious and take that chip from your limp, lifeless hands.”

“Maybe, if it were just the four of us,” Janus said, recovering some of his confidence. Two didn’t like the way he sat relaxed, as if their threat wasn’t serious. “But the Iona traders aren’t the only ones looking for a payday. We put out some feelers to a few other groups in town who were more than happy to put aside their differences with us if it meant we might be able to capture the great Portia Lin.” He leaned back and gestured with his hand. Two tensed and watched as over a dozen men and women at surrounding tables suddenly stood up. Those patrons who didn’t stand could read the writing on the wall, and quickly made their way out the door to avoid getting caught up in whatever was about to go down. “Odds are looking a little more in our favor now, no?” Janus said, smirking.

Two shrugged, meanwhile surreptitiously reaching into her pocket where her comm was. She pressed the distress button that would send a message to Nyx and Five letting them know they were in trouble. “Maybe. But I think you underestimate me and my friend Rissa here.”

She looked over at the Android, who gave her a small smile and a shrug. Two could feel her blood beginning to pump in anticipation of a fight, and couldn’t resist the feral smile that rose to her lips. The Android raised an eyebrow in response, her fingers slowly curling into a fist beneath the table.

As one, they launched out of their seats towards the nearest opponent.

\-------------

Somehow without Five noticing it, she and Nisha wound up holding hands as they meandered their way through the Mechmarket, smiling at each other whenever their shoulders would bump into each other’s. Five felt a swell of happiness, and wondered if this is what it was like to be _normal_. No running from people who wanted to kill her, no committing crimes to survive, no wondering about the mystery of who she was. Just a normal walk on a normal day with a more than normal girl.

Nisha broke Five’s reverie. “What’s it like, out there?”

“Out where?” Five asked, her brow furrowing. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

“Out there in space, duh,” Nisha said, rolling her eyes.

“You’ve never been off planet?” Five asked, surprised.

Nisha shrugged. “I’ve taken a transport out to a ship orbiting Li’en twice - my dad and I were doing some ship repairs as a side gig. But I’ve never been further than that. Even that was... incredible.” Her expression had gone dreamy and distant as she sunk back into those memories. “Seeing Li’en laid out like that below us, being surrounded by stars…well,” she said, shaking herself out of her reverie and giving Five an apologetic smile. “I just can’t imagine what it would be like to spend all your time traveling through space.”

“It is pretty incredible,” Five said slowly, thinking for what might be the first time about what it really meant to have a home among the stars. She was beginning to realize that while she was yearning for the life Nisha led, Nisha was dreaming about hers. “I’ve seen so many different planets and space stations in the past months. And they’re all so different. Well, they all have some things in common, like bars.” Nisha laughed at this, and Five smiled briefly before the expression faded into something a little more sad. “But sometimes I wish we could stay at a planet a little longer.”

“Why can’t you?” Nisha asked, curious.

Five sighed. “It’s complicated. Trust me,” she continued when Nisha gave her disbelieving look, grinning at her. “You have no idea how complicated.”

“Hm,” Nisha grunted in response, still sounding unconvinced. “Well, I don’t care how many worlds you visit - only our Capitol city has Gibisco.”

“Has what?” Five said, scrunching her face up in confusion.

“Gibisco,” Nisha said, nodding her head towards a nearby food stall. “It’s a hot beverage made of the local Gibisco root. It’s a little like hot chocolate, only one trillion times better.”

“One trillion times better?” Five asked with a laugh. “Is that a scientific estimate?”

“Yes it is,” Nisha said mock seriously. “C’mon - let me buy you a cup.”

Nisha was good on her word. “Careful,” she said, looking down at her cup. “It’s - “

“Hot!” Five said, having incautiously taken a sip without blowing on the beverage. “It’s really hot!”

“I told you that, dummy,” Nisha said, laughing. “Give it a few minutes to cool off.”

Five was about to respond when she felt her pocket vibrating. She reached down and pulled out her comm, which was flashing red - the signal that Two and the Android were in trouble.

“Shit,” she said, looking up at Nisha with worried eyes. “That’s the signal for one of my crew - I have to get to Haisen Tavern.”

“That’s only a couple minutes away, if we cut through the center market,” Nisha said without hesitation, already turning to lead the way. Five followed closely behind, dodging in and out of stalls and people in Nisha’s footsteps.

Sure enough, they exited the market on the east side of the tavern a couple minutes later. “You shouldn’t come in,” Five told Nisha firmly when they stopped outside the entrance. “Wait out here - it will be safer.”

Nisha rolled her eyes. “Like hell. Let’s go.”

Five pursed her lips, wanting to object. But she didn’t want to waste time when her friends needed her. She nodded once and headed to the entrance, Nisha following behind.

Whatever was going on inside must have distracted the door guard, because no one stopped them on their way in. Five immediately understood why when the entered the main room, and suddenly a body went flying by them in the air, only to land with a sickening thud on the far wall. Five looked over to see who had thrown the man: it was Android, her back against the corner of the room, grinning like she was at a seaside carnival. She twisted just in time to block a man swinging a broken beer bottle at her. She pulled his wrist down quickly, snapping it, before elbowing him in the face with her other arm. He stumbled backwards, one hand held to his bleeding nose. The Android reared back and kicked him in the sternum, sending him flying into two other men advancing on her. This all happened in a matter of seconds.

Whirling in and out of what was at least a dozen men and women was Two. She ducked and dodged kicks and blows, moving with what seemed like a liquid efficiency. She took down two men in the course of seconds, one with a swift kick to the knee (which snapped with a sickening crunch), and the other with a jab to the windpipe. Her last actions brought her within a couple of feet of Five and Nisha, but Two clearly was too preocuppied to deal with them.

Despite the Android and Two’s skill, they were far outnumbered. A moment later a man got in a lucky blow to Two’s stomach, which doubled her over. Another took advantage of her position by putting her in a full Nelson.

Five felt her heart leap in her chest. She looked down at her hands, realizing she was still holding her cup of Gibisco. She sighed. “Must be Tuesday.”

“What?” Nisha asked, confused. Her eyes were wide as she tried to process what she was witnessing.

“Nothing,” Five yelled, already running towards Two. “Be right back!”

The man who wasn’t holding Two had grabbed a chair. He was raising it to bring down on Two when Five came up alongside him. With one motion, she threw the contents of her cup into the man’s face. Immediately he dropped the chair and screamed, clutching his burnt face. Two didn’t waste any time, using the other man’s surprise against him by elbowing him in the ribs and flipping him over her shoulder. “Thanks kid,” she said, flashing a smile Five’s way as she rammed her shoulder into the man in front of her.

Five didn’t have any time to celebrate, though, because a man and a woman were approaching her and Two, their expressions menacing. Five took a step back, preparing to run. But suddenly a shape raced past her and launched at the man in the lead. It was Nyx, who kicked the woman in the gut before spinning to block the man’s punch, before kneeing him in the groin and snapping her palm up to break his nose.

“About damn time!” Two yelled over her shoulder, before throwing herself at another opponent.

“I didn’t want to cramp your bonding time!” Nyx yelled back, grinning.

After that, it was pretty much over. Two, Android, and Nyx worked like a well-oiled machine. The Android took opponents down with brutal efficiency. Nyx went through the combatants like a blade, somehow anticipating every move they made. And Two wove throughout both of them, taking out men and women with a savage professionalism.

After there was nothing left but bruised, broken, and unconscious bodies littering the floor, Two, Nyx, and the Android stood surveying the damage. Nyx and Two were breathing heavily, Nyx sporting a black eye and Two a bloody lip. The Android was unharmed, looking around herself with a satisfied expression on her face.

They all looked at Five, who looked back at them, her hands on her hips. “What did I tell you about not getting into trouble?” she said sternly.

Two grinned at her, her eyes still wild and dancing from the adrenalin of the fight. “Sorry, Five. Trouble kind of came looking for us.”

“It always does,” Five said with a sigh. From behind her, she heard Nisha clear her throat.

“Oh,” Five said brightly, beaming at Nisha. “Nisha, this is my crew - or part of it. Two, Nyx, Android - this is Nisha.”

“Nice to meet you,” Two said politely, meanwhile giving Five a look that said, _You’re going to have to explain more than that later_. But clearly they didn’t have time for detailed explanations at the moment, because immediately Two stepped over to where one of the Iona traders was. She reached into his pocket and pulled out a chip from his pocket. “We got what we came for, and we didn’t even have to pay for it. But we better start moving - I don’t want to be on-planet when the local cops show up.”

Nyx and Android nodded, turning to head towards the door. Five glanced worriedly at Nisha, who looked a little dazed. Two swiped her hand to get her gun out of the locker, and as they were exiting Nyx scooped up the gun she had left just outside the entrance. She and Two kept their guns in their hands, their eyes alert and scanning their surroundings for trouble. But the locals must have heard the news about the fight in the Tavern, because everyone seemed to be laying low.

“So,” Nisha said finally, taking a deep breath. “That crew of criminals you run with - it wouldn’t happen to be the Raza, would it?”

“Yes?” Five said tentatively, not sure how Nisha would react.

“Cool,” Nisha said, her jawline tightening and her eyes a little wild. “Cool cool cool. Toootally fine. Not freaking out here at all. It’s just the Raza, right? Just, like, the most feared mercenary ship in the galaxy. And I made out with one of their crew members.”

“They don’t deserve the reputation they have, you know,” Five protested. “I promise they’re much nicer than the media makes them out to be.”

“I just saw three of them take out, like, twenty people, with their bare hands,” Nisha pointed out, staring at Five in disbelief.

“Well, yeah,” Five said. “I didn’t say they weren’t good at _fighting_ \- they’re just not as cold-blooded as everyone makes them out to be.”

“Gonna need a minute to adjust here,” Nisha said, and Five sighed, nodding her agreement. She felt all the ease and normalcy she had felt earlier in the day slipping away.

A few minutes later they arrived at the Marauder. Several boxes were sitting just outside the ship - the weapons and parts Nyx and Five had procured during their visit. Two, Nyx, and the Android immediately set to loading them onboard. Five stood with Nisha, nervously scuffing her foot back and forth as she waited for Nisha to say something. Finally, Nisha sighed.

“Well, this is going to make a hell of a story.” Five looked up at Nisha in surprise, who was smirking at her. “I mean, when I tell the story to my friends I’ll probably gloss over the part where you’re as cute as a damn button, and instead imply that you’re some kind of criminal mastermind. But I’ll keep the part about the blue hair.”

“Well, as long as you’re focusing on my most important features,” Five said mock-seriously. Her expression became hopeful. “Does that mean your offer still holds - that I should look you up if we’re ever back in Li’en?”

“Obviously,” Nisha said with a sniff. “It’s not every day I find a RTG, witness an epic bar brawl, _and_ make out with a cute girl.”

Five beamed at Nisha, and couldn’t resist leaning in to give her a kiss. They stood there for a few minutes, letting the rest of the world fall away. They pulled apart just as Nyx let out a wolf whistle from the deck of the Marauder. Five rolled her eyes, blushing.

“Just a minute!” she yelled, looking towards the Marauder where the three shipmates were all grinning at them. Five blushed harder.

“You better go,” Nisha said, her smile soft. “But don’t be a stranger.”

“Okay,” Five said quietly, leaning up to give Nisha one more quick kiss. Then she turned and headed towards the Marauder, feeling a faint ache in her chest. When she got to the deck, Two slipped her arm around her shoulder.

“Crazy day, huh?” Two said gently, and Five nodded, eyes on the floor. She turned around to give Nisha one last look as the door of the Marauder began closing. Nisha gave her one wave of goodbye, before the door closed and cut her off from view.

\----------

Two breathed in deeply when they arrived back on the ship, feeling strangely comforted by the slightly metallic scent of the Raza. More and more she’d started thinking of the ship as home, a fact she did not let herself dwell on too long.

At some point Five slipped away as Two and Nyx were lugging the goods they’d bought to the storage room. Two made a note to herself to find her later and talk. It had come as a surprise when Two had seen Five with the young Li’enite, but it shouldn’t have. Two was used to thinking of Five as a teenager, but as a very unusual teenager thrown in the midst of the entirely unsuitable Raza crew. Not as a normal teenager, one who might want to be with people her own age and experience all the things an adolescent should experience, including love. Well, maybe not love, but at least romance.

She and Nyx finished unloading the last of the goods and stepped out together, closing the door behind them.

“Hey, thanks for having our backs back there,” Two said to Nyx approvingly. “You kicked some serious ass.”

“Back at you,” Nyx said, grinning. “I’ve been sparring a lot with Four recently, but maybe you and I should have a go at it sometime.”

“Yeah, that would be...fun,” Two said, already imagining the damage they could do if they combined their competitive natures.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Nyx said, giving Two a friendly punch on the shoulder as she passed by. “I’m going to swing by and see how Devon and Six are doing first, though.” Two nodded, turning to head to the ship deck.

Her path took her by Three’s room, and she paused outside. The door slid open in response to her knock. Marcus was lying on his bed, a pillow over his face. He took removed the pillow when she came in and squinted at her.

“You’re back,” he stated.

“I am,” Two said. “How you feeling?”

“Like ass,” Three grunted back at her, but he sat up in his bed so he could look at her. “Did you get the chip?”

“Yes, and the ship parts, and the weapons we needed.”

“Good,” Three said approvingly. “Anything exciting happen onworld?”

Two shrugged. “Well, the Iona traders betrayed us and teamed up with over a dozen other locals to try to get the bounty on our head. And Nyx, Android and I beat up twenty of them with our bare hands. Oh, and Five got a girlfriend.”

“Five got a girlfriend?” Three exclaimed, ignoring the rest of her sentence as he sat up straighter. “You guys were gone for, like, eight hours.”

“Well, not a girlfriend,” Two corrected herself. “But she did meet a local mechanic and they seemed to have gotten to know each other pretty quickly.”

“Huh,” Three said. His facial expressions were doing acrobatics, going from surprise to contemplation to acceptance. He shrugged. “Well, I guess it’s good for her to be with someone her own age.”

“I think so,” Two agreed. “In fact, I was thinking maybe we should work Li’en more into the rotation. They have a bustling Mechmarket so we could definitely benefit from the supply runs. And just because the rest of us are miserable lonely assholes afraid of making meaningful contact with people outside of the ship doesn’t mean Five should be.”

Three barked out a laugh. “Yeah, you’re probably right. But if she’s gonna be seeing someone I need to meet them first - make sure she’s good enough for our Five.”

“I didn’t take you for the protective type,” Two teased.

Three shrugged, looking embarrassed. “Whatever. It looks bad for the rest of us if Five settles for someone who’s not worthy.”

“Okay, tough guy,” Two said, amused. “I’m going to go check on the ship. Don’t give Five too hard a time next time you see her.”

“I’m not making any promises,” Three said with a grin. Two shook her head and left his room, continuing her path to the shipdeck.

When she got there, she saw that the Android was in her usual spot behind the control mount. She also noticed Five sitting on the steps of the deck with her back against the center console, staring out the ship’s central window.

The Android nodded at Two when she entered. She was in her new grey and white uniform, her hair back in its tight coif, her body held with a stiffness that indicated more than anything else that she was no longer wearing the chip.

“It’s good to see you back to being...you,” Two said, feeling a little awkward.

“Thank you. It’s good to be me again,” the Android said in that sing-song voice of hers. “And thank you for taking me with you to Li’en. I found our conversations very enjoyable.”

“Me too,” Two said, finding to her surprise that her words were true. She cleared her throat. “Would you mind if Five and I had the room to ourselves?”

“Why would I mind?” the Android asked, sounding slightly confused.

“I - never mind,” Two said with a sigh. This was the price she had to pay for getting the Android back in her natural state. “Can you just leave us alone for a little while?”

“Of course,” the Android said calmly. Without saying anything more, she turned and left the bridge.

Two walked towards where Five was sitting and settled down beside her. They sat silently for a little while, staring out the deck window at the planet below. Li’en’s unique atmosphere meant that even the landmasses looked blue from space – cerulean continents bumping up against sapphire waters.

“How you doing?” Two said finally, breaking the silence.

Five shrugged. “Okay. Just thinking.”

“About?”

Five shrugged again and looked down at the floor. “It was just…nice. Being normal. It was like, for a few hours I knew what it was like to be a regular teenager. I didn’t have to worry about being hunted or trying to make the next score. And it was nice being around –” she broke off, looking a little guilty.

“Being around someone your own age?” Two prodded gently.

“Yeah,” Five admitted. “I really liked her, you know? And she liked me. And for a little while I got to forget anything but that.”

“That sounds nice,” Two said quietly, bumping her shoulder against Five’s. Five started a little and looked at Five, who gave her a crooked smile. “You know what I’m going to say next, right?”

“That I should leave the Raza and make a peaceful life for myself on one of the planets, like you guys have been telling me to do since we first met.” To her credit, Five only rolled her eyes a little when she said this.

“That’s pretty much exactly it,” Two said with small chuckle. “You’re young and brilliant and have your whole life ahead of you. You shouldn’t be risking your life with the rest of us. Think of what you could be if you didn’t have to live this life.”

“What would I be, though?” Five said, giving Two a skeptical look. “An engineer for one of the companies? A vendor at a mechmarket?” Five shook her head. “I still don’t know how I got all this knowledge in my brain, but I can’t just forget it. And I can’t forget the life I’ve been living for the past year.” Her eyes got distant as she stared down onto the planet, as if she was trying to see through the hazy blue atmosphere into the Capitol city. “When Nisha talked about going to space – just visiting a ship in orbit – it was like she was talking about a religious experience. I take it for granted. We go from planet to planet all the time, to all corners of the galaxy, seeing new cultures and people all the time. The stars are our backyard. How do you go from that, to being stuck on just one planet?” She looked at Two as if expecting an answer, her eyes bright and young and full of promise.

Two raised an eyebrow. “So you’re okay with facing constant death? Being hunted by mercenaries? Eating protein packs for dinner half the time?”

Five laughed. “The blue ones aren’t so bad.” She looked down at the ground, her hands twisting at the hem of her shirt. “Yeah. It sucks sometimes. But I think that’s who I am now? When I woke up on the Raza, it was like I was a new person. And this life is all that person has ever known. Besides…it’s not just that. When my comm told me you were in trouble, down on Li’en, I couldn’t imagine doing anything but coming to help you. Like it or not, you guys are my family now. You don’t leave your family behind, even if some of them are jerks.”

Now it was Two’s turn to duck her head, feeling a swell of emotions. She slipped her arm around Five’s shoulder, pulling her in and kissing her on the top of the head.

“Well alright then,” she said quietly. “But you know, you can be part of the Raza and still have a kind of normal life, at least sometimes. I already told Three I think we should come by Li’en more often so you can see certain…people…more often, if you want to.”

“You did?” Five said, her voice hopeful and grateful at the same time. Then she pulled away from Two and gave her a horrified look. “Did you tell Three about Nisha?”

“Maybe?” Two said.

“Oh my god,” Five said, burying her face in her hands. “He’s never going to let me hear the last of it,” she continued, her voice muffled.

Two laughed. “Welcome to the family, Five. You better get used to it.” She stood up and held her hand out to Five. “C’mon,” she said. “Let’s go see how the rest of the menfolk are doing. We can tell them how the four of us annihilated over a dozen double-crossers.”

Five looked up at her grinning, all her cheer restored. She grabbed Two’s hand and leveraged herself up. “Can you tell them how I basically saved your life with a cup of hot chocolate?”

“We’ll see,” Two said, shaking her head and slinging her arm around Five’s shoulder. “I've got a reputation to uphold, you know.”

The End


End file.
